


operation firebird (i have a confession)

by allyourdarlings



Series: operation firebird [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Cobra - Freeform, Captain Swan - Freeform, Gen, Swan Song, Underworld, daddy! killian, episode: s5e11, season 5, speculation fic, spoilers for 5b
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 16:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6159133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyourdarlings/pseuds/allyourdarlings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry has a confession to make.  Captain Cobra. Tag 5x11. Speculation fic.  Spoilers abound.  Posted from tumblr, with coda.  COMPLETE.</p>
            </blockquote>





	operation firebird (i have a confession)

The Jolly creaks and moans in its mooring as though it is grieving the loss of its captain. Perhaps it is, Henry muses. The ship is made of enchanted wood and has been Hook's home for hundreds of years. They had a connection to each other that surely surpassed the ordinary.

"I miss him, too," Henry confesses softly to the ship. He doesn't have anyone else with whom to share these feelings.

When his father died, Henry didn't really know who Neal was, other than the coward who abandoned his mother, pregnant and alone in jail. And though Henry's memories were eventually restored, it didn't change the fact that his father was a villain in his mind longer than he had been a hero. And it certainly didn't change the fact that what Neal did to his mother was true.

Still, Henry couldn't help but be upset that the murky feelings he had of his father's death persisted even after he remembered him. He didn't want to tell Emma who still loved his father (even after _that_ ). And though his other mom would have said she understood, he actually didn't think she would. So, he ran to Hook. He had been the one who helped him process his feelings in the first place, who helped him get to know a man that he never really knew, memory-curses aside, and who understood what it meant to be betrayed by your own feelings.

And Hook had taken one look at Henry's red eyes, set sail and took them out as far as the light would allow. Eventually, Henry started talking and he couldn't stop. But Hook didn't frown at Henry or tell him how he should feel. He just listened. It felt good to get all those ugly feelings out. But Hook, who had always loved Bae, didn't call those feelings ugly. He just held onto Henry. And Henry felt like it was alright to simply feel what he did.

He did take a page from Hook's book and focused on remembering the good things about his father. He didn't want to nullify what his father had done to his mother but he tried to remind himself that there were things he loved about his father. Like his taste in music and weakness for amusement parks. And it was nice to be able to share a part of his father that Hook didn't know with the reformed pirate. Henry had wanted to give Hook something back for all he had given him.

And it just sucks. Because he knows he shouldn't miss Hook more than he misses his own father. But he does. And he doesn't know who to tell because ever since _Entangled Feelings 101 featuring Neal Cassidy_ , he had always gone to Hook. He had come to depend on Hook. Hook always made time for him, always listened carefully, always understood. And he can't imagine another person replacing him and he doesn't want another person replacing him. He doesn't want to confess to anyone else. So he tells the Jolly because he can't, he just can't tell anyone else.

He doesn't know how long he is out there, sitting on the side of the pier, with his legs dangling over the dark water. He doesn't even board the Jolly. He doesn't want to without her captain.

But then Emma calls them in for an emergency meeting at the loft. And he is running, running, running across town. He has this wild hope that his mom found a way to save Hook, through true love's kiss or something or another. Because she's the savior and she's magical and it really just _can't_ end like this.

He doesn't know why he's disappointed that Hook isn't there giving him an over-exaggerated wink as soon as he bursts through the door at the loft. Of course not. It was a stupid foolish thought. So when his mom starts outlining her plan to save Hook, he isn't immediately excited. Because he was just let down by his own false hopes only moments ago.

But when it becomes clear that they don't expect to bring him to the Underworld, he is shouting, "You can't leave me behind!"

Everyone starts talking all at once. But they are all saying the same thing. No no no no no. It's too dangerous, it's best he stayed behind, don't worry, they will find him.

But this is Hook and Henry can't just sit at the docks, looking at the rolled up sails, wondering if they will ever sail together again, if they will ever take that trip to Coney Island they've talked about or if he would ever learn to navigate by the night sky as well as Hook.

"I'll find a way! You know I will!" His response is not calm. He might even be crying. His face feels hot. Both his moms are looking at him like they don't recognize the pre-teen throwing a tantrum in front of them. He hardly recognizes himself. And he can't help but wonder too if he will ever get decent help in his math homework ever again. The stray thought almost makes him burst out in hysterics.

"Henry, it's not right to bring you to the Underworld," Regina says calmly to him.

"Nothing's right when you lose someone you love. I want my dad back!"

And it's silent. Everyone is starring at him but he can barely see, he's crying too much.

Emma steps up to him slowly, holding her hands out like she's approaching a wild animal. "You know, kid," she says, putting one hand on each shoulder, "I would do anything for you. If I could bring your father back, I would, you know I would. But I… I don't think sharing my heart with Neal would work."

And _oh_. They are think he's acting out because he wants to go save Neal. His father. Because he said…well, he knows what he said now. And he kind of feels like a total asshat because he should want it, too, right? They would have all expected that of him. Maybe even Hook. But he would have waited and listened at least.

They never talked about the time Henry accidentally called him dad. Hook didn't say anything but he had pulled Henry close to him and his eyes were wet and his smile tremulous. Henry had always imagined a father would sniff and wipe "dust" from his eye at some big father/son bonding moment. But this was even better. Hook didn't even try to hide what this meant to him. Henry almost cried too. Especially when Hook dropped a kiss on top of his head like he was more precious than anything else in the world.

"That's not…that's not…I, uh…" God, he has such an enormous confession to make. He hasn't even made it to Hook yet. Not in so many words at least. Henry scrubs his eyes and looks at them, all cautiously looking back at him. He is certain he isn't ready for it, to tell them what he shouldn't be feeling, but he needs, needs, to come along. "I call him dad in my head."

His mom regards him carefully, not quite understanding.

"Hook," he hiccups. He takes a deep breath. "You all call him Killian now because he's Killian to you now, not Hook."

"I call him both, sometimes. I'm a fan of every part of him," she smiles sadly, like it's an inside joke. It probably is.

"But I usually call him Hook."

Emma nods along but it's clear she isn't quite following.

"He's not Killian to me now, he never was, he never will be."

Emma seems struck by his statement and Henry knows he has to barrel forward, make her understand, before this really goes sideways. "I call him dad in my head," he says so fast he doesn't know if anyone understood him.

But he can see the moment his mom realizes what he's been trying to say, her lips curling up for the first time in what feels like two lifetimes ago. "Oh, Henry…" she cries, pulling him closer to her.

"I said it out loud once too," he finds himself just continuing. "He didn't seem to mind."

"I bet he didn't," she said, holding him tighter. "Well, then it's all settled. We're a family and we are doing this together. All we need is a code name, kid."

And Henry nods, because it's okay, it's okay for him to feel the way he does. And he does hope he sees his father, Neal, for all the good things he remembers. And he wants to tell Neal he misses him and wishes they had more time together. Because he does love him, like his mom will always love him. But Killian had been his dad. And he needs to find him and tell him all the things he didn't get a chance to say before. And they just can't have a ship as fine as the Jolly sitting at a harbor. There are more adventures to be had, and more experiences to share. And he can, he will. Henry feels hope's wings burning in his chest, getting ready to set flight. And he knows. He knows what the next mission will be.

"Firebird. Operation Firebird."

 

* * *

 

 _Coda_ :

Hook opens his arms to him, and Henry is running, running, running across the graveyard to him. "My boy," Hook says into his hair as he holds him close.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I needed to address the pink and purple elephants in the room – Henry going to the Underworld and him running into Neal (and the complexities attendant to that). This was also a way for making this four square of Henry/Emma/Neal/Hook make sense to me in the 'verse. Thoughts? Anyone feel the same?


End file.
